(Re)reading Classics in Children’s Literature - 19-21 November 2010

full name / name of organization:

Children's Literature Association of India (CLAI)

contact email:

antoct@yahoo.co.in

Think of reading your favorite childhood books again… The Panchatantra, the Ramayana, The Mahabarata; Aesop’s Fables, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, the Oz books: we all have our own lists. We invite you to celebrate “clouds of glory” in reconsidering the meaning of these books in your own life and especially in your teaching and scholarship.
Critics define children’s literature classics in different ways. Christian Emmrich finds children’s classics to be those that have succeeses with readers of different classes and different nationalities over several generations and are often best-sellers.
Emer O’Sullivan discusses three resources:
1. Adaptations of works from adult literature, such as Robinson Crusoe or Romeo and Juliet
2. Adaptations from myth and folkore
3. Original works for children such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer or The Hobbit.

Possible topics are:
When does a book become a “classic”? Who decides?
What vision do these books present of childhood? Of social class? Of family life? Of gender roles? Of race?
How do these books address multiple audiences, such as child and adult?
Are classic books still of interest to young readers, given contemporary formats for literature (graphics, a lot of white space on pages), or are they only historical artifacts?
How do you assess the transformation of adult works into books for children, for example renditions of Shakespeare?
How successful are translations of one culture’s classics into another’s?
How were the books you are discussing received in their day? How has that reception changed?
Whom have these classics books influenced?

OR
any other aspects of classics in children’s literature.

Kindly send your paper proposals (250 words) to antoct@yahoo.co.in, or childlitindia@yahoo.co.in, on or before 30 August 2010.
More information regarding conference fee, booking accommodations, etc. will be posted to the participants individually.

cfp categories:

childrens_literature

By web submission at 05/24/2010 - 19:05

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